Edward Alexander MaDowell (Dec. 18, 1860 - Jan. 23, 1908) was an American composer and pianist, born in New York City. He was a part of the Second New England School, known more commonly as the Boston Six. MacDowell wasn't born in to a musical family, but he took music lessons from a Columbian violinist, Juan Buitrago, who lived with the MacDowell family. Buitrago's friends also taught young MacDowell before his mother, took him to Paris, where he received a scholarship for international students at the Paris Conservatory. He was there for two years, and was top in his class before he moved on to Dr. Hoch's Conservatory in Frankfurt Germany, where he studied piano with Carl Heymann, and composition with Joachim Raff (we've featured several of his works which you can find here). Franz Liszt visited the conservatory while MacDowell was there, and went on to recommended his works be performed, and introduced him to a major music publisher.

After a time in Germany, and he returned to the states in1888, and made Boston his home until 1896, when he was appointed professor of music at Columbia University, where he created their first music department. During the summers, MacDowell lived in New Hampshire, and found that setting to be highly conducive to composing.

As a composer, he wrote many pieces for piano, several songs, and many orchestral works including a symphonic poem entitled Lamia, inspired by a poem of the same name by John Keats. The story goes that Lamia, an enchantress, in the form of a serpent, is about to marry Lycius after Hermes transformed her in to a maiden. Apollonius, a magician then exposes the magic, and Lamia becomes a serpent again, and Lycius is found dead. A dark, mysterious theme starts the work out before the work turns in to a veritable adventure. Valkyrie-like themes, robust orchestral colors, and delicate fairy and enchanted forest-like material make this for an exciting orchestral work that matches the drama and story of the original poem.

Here is a recording of this work for you to enjoy!

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra